In October 2021, COTA Australia began a research project with the Australian National Mental Health Commission (NMHC) to gauge how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health and wellbeing of Older Australians. The aim of the research was to inform the National Pandemic Response Plan.

Researchers heard that the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns have had profound impacts on the mental health and wellbeing of people aged 75 and over.

COTA Australia’s research suggests that the pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing inequalities, created new ones, and heightened the impact of ageism on the lived experience of older people during the pandemic. These impacts are likely to be long term, and will require localised, iterative and committed responses to address them.

Key findings:

• Older women were more likely than older men to report their mental health worsened during the pandemic, fluctuated regularly, or they experienced mental ill health for the first time.

• 14 per cent of respondents reported their mental health worsened during the pandemic period.

• 15 per cent said their mental health fluctuated regularly.

• Loneliness and distress arising from social isolation and separation from friends and family were identified as the key impacts.

• Even those who considered themselves unaffected by the pandemic described themselves as living with ‘worry’ and ‘stress,’ of experiencing sadness, loss, lack of sleep and appetite, of distress.

• 20% of those who reported their mental health suffered said they had no one to talk to during periods of lockdowns.

• 8% of those who reported their mental health suffered said they couldn’t get the help they needed.